Tuesday, August 20, 2013

BEDA Day 20: Tips for Those With Oily Hair

Hello everyone and welcome to Day 20 of BEDA!

Today I have a very special post for Day 20 and it is something that is personal for me because these are tips that will help those of you who suffer from oily hair (like me). I have acquired these tips and tricks through years of dealing with my oily hair. I have even asked a couple of friends who have gone to school for hair on their tips as well.

I know oily hair can be a blessing and a curse. My hair is amazingly shiny right after I wash it (I know, who doesn't want shiny hair) but when the next day comes around it looks like a grease ball and that is when things start to suck. I have some tips that will hopefully help you with your oily hair struggles. These are tips that I use to extend the life of my hair and make it through an extra day without having to wash it again (which includes all that heat styling i.e. blow drying and hair straightening that can get a little damaging after a while). These tips have definitely reduced the amount of heat damage to my hair and keep my hair looking healthy and strong.

1) Don't wash your hair everyday: This one is a given but it needs to be said. Often times people with oily hair think that they can get away with washing their hair every single day because it needs to be washed. Well, what happens is, every time you wash your hair with shampoo you strip your hair of the natural oils and when you do that your hair over compensates and therefore produces more oil, which is something we oily haired people do not need more of.

2) Condition only the bottom half of your hair: Absolutely not conditioner should go anywhere close to the roots of your hair. Conditioner makes your hair soft but it also adds unnecessary oils which you don't need so keep it at the ends.

3) Use the right shampoo and conditioner: There are many shampoos and conditioners on the market that are specifically formulated for oily hair or to clarify hair. One of my favourite brands for oily hair shampoos is Lush. Here are a list of some great products from Lush to check out.

Look for ingredients like Tea Tree Oil or Apple Cider Vinegar. These products are know to work well on oily skin and they do the same with oily hair.

4) Use dry shampoo on non-washing days: This is a popular one but also very helpful to give your roots a volume boost as well as dry out some of that oil. Make sure that if you have dark hair to get a dry shampoo that specifies being "invisible" because most dry shampoos come out white and are hard to blend in if your hair is darker.
*Tip: Use dry shampoo the night before instead of the morning. It is better to put the dry shampoo in your hair before it gets greasy because it is easier for the dry shampoo to stop oil from coming in. It is harder for dry shampoo to soak up the oil once it is already there!

5) Put dishwashing soap in your shampoo bottle: This is a really weird trick but one of my personal favourites. When you get a new bottle of shampoo, take your regular, non greasy formula dish washing soap and fill up the little room that's available in the new bottle (you only need a tiny bit) with the soap. Dish washing soap is used to break down greasy stains from food and it also works on your hair. I was surprised when my friend (who went to hair school) told me about this trick but when I tried it I was shocked by the results.

6) Curl hair instead of straightening it: Most people with oily hair tend to have straighter, finer hair. One of my tricks is to curl my hair. Now this is not scientifically proven or anything but I find that when my hair is curly it is less oily at the end of the day. I think this is because the oils aren't running down a straight line like when my hair is straight so it takes longer for them to manoeuvre down curls. Call me crazy but it really does work.

And Finally,

7) Embrace the oil: Sounds silly but there are so many second day hairstyles you can do that look awesome and draw attention away from the grease. Try a ponytail or a braid, even a sock bun would work for second day hair.

I hope these tips helped you and gave you some ideas on how to deal with your oily hair. If you yourself have any tips, don't hesitate to leave them down below because I would love to learn new tips and tricks.